Into The Fire
by bluntlittleinstument
Summary: They thought they were safe. They thought it was over. They let themselves breathe again, only to be thrust back into the fire, back into the games. Happy Quarter Quell; And may the odds be ever in your favor. *Rated M for adult themes
1. Save Me

Finnick trembled, his hand gripping the sink, knuckles white, bile still dripping down the back of his throat. Even clasped to the porcelain, his

hand still shook visibly, echoing the the sickened buzzing in his veins. Ice-hot fear sizzled down his spine, wrapping around the back of his

neck, bringing more bile with it.

He flung the toilet seat up, retching bile, trembling hands gripping the seat, eyes watering until he was empty. Clinging to the seat, he rested

his head against the cool porcelain, choking on sobs, nails digging into his palms. His choking gurgles turned into horrified screaming cries, his

hands pounding into his body, hips, stomach, thighs, slamming purple bruises onto his skin until his throat was raw and his eyes swam with

blood from broken vessels.

He pulled himself up to stare into the mirror, a bruise marring his cheekbone, bloodshot eyes framing pale, thin skin. _I look like death._ The

thought brought a wolf grin to his lips, and he stared at himself for a moment, shaking and bloody, hoping if he stared long enough he could

actually become someone else.

For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come.

The words dropped into his mind, swimming with glorious purpose until they infected every cell of his broken form. His mind sickened with an

idea, he shuffled from the bathroom.

The kitchen was dark, his breath a filmy cloud in the chill. His movements jagged, he jerked his way to a drawer by the sink, yanking it out of

place. Objects went flying, and with a crash the drawer slammed into the floor and broke. He began to tear out each drawer, his movements

becoming precise amidst the slamming and crashing. His hands wrapped around the hilt of a small knife, hidden from the capitol. Turning up his

wrist, he pressed the blade against the soft skin, feeling the patter of his heart against the cool metal, and the hummingbird thrum of his heart

in his chest. His hands had stopped shaking, sitting still, his body immobile with indecision. Heat patterned behind his eyes, ice flashing in his

muscles, freezing them. Terror clawed an icy trail up his back to lodge in his throat, sitting on his windpipe like a tourniquet. Gasping for air, he

threw the blade away to claw at his throat, tiny breaths making their way down his throat, his vision blurring as he fought to breathe amid

panic and fear. _Again. It was happening again._

Pulling himself up on the smooth wood of his kitchen table, he stood, terrified and shaking, half naked and covered in bruises in the middle of

his dark kitchen. Alone.

Slowly, he walked. Like someone uttering their last words, gasping and stuttering, he shuffled, hitting his knees more than once.

The night air slammed into his frame, knocking him on his knees. The cold concrete dug into his knees , the pain an anchor, a reason. Sobs

poured out of his body as he shook, screaming curses into the sky, hoarse and broken. It was only once he began to shiver that he pulled

himself up, an air of calm sinking into his eyes, glassy and dead. It muted his movements, slow, each step a battle of will with his ice-locked

muscles.

Her house was open, unlocked. Like her.

_it is in the eyes of the insane where we find our sanity_

Her house was lukewarm, strewn with traps and knickknacks. Pushing hanging plants away, he deftly dismantled the trap over her bedroom

door, sliding his body through the crack like water. He was a creek and she was his river, spinning, twirling , smashed against rocks and

broken, rushing headlong into her vast swirling madness, the only sanity in his calm madness. _Maybe she's sane and we're all crazy;_ he

thought, sliding a hand along her hollow cheek, tucking a strand of fiery hair behind her ear.

She murmured in her sleep, wrapping a warm hand around his. Careful not to disturb her, he slid under the covers behind her, wrapping an

arm around her tiny waist. He felt her stiffen, breath quickening.

"It's me Annie. I'm sorry to wake you, I, I just need you, please." She wrapped a hand around his, a moment of sanity or pity he wasn't sure.

"They're taking us back Annie. I'm scared. I'm so terrified." Her hand tightened on his, though she said nothing, her quiet comfort lulling him

into a shaky sleep.

Long after he'd closed his eyes she began to sob, silent in the dark, tears dripping down the trail his hands had made.

"I love you too" It was the last, and only thing thing she'd said to him.


	2. Lost In You

* Disclaimer for explicit content

* * *

It had always been an act. The relationship, hand holding and quick kisses had been methodical, rehearsed, as cold and mechanical as the train that sped them along, hurried, towards death. Twisting a trembling hand around his palm, Peeta glared at his own shadowed reflection, his ears full of the quiet woosh of the train as it hurtled towards the capital. The only other sounds was the tapping of Haymitch paced the halls, falling against the wall as he stumbled, drunk and fuming. He was still cold to me, his tone filled with ice and pity whenever we spoke.

The clock above my door ticked as he paced, stumbling eventually into his own room, abottle flying against the wall connecting out rooms, shattering against the wall. A door opened as footsteps, light a quiet, presumably Effie's hurried down the hall and into Haymitch's room, his door shutting with a slam. I could hear her quiet sobs through the wall, accompanied by Haymitch's voice, breaking and rough, muffled as if he was holding her. An hour passed as I listened to them comfort each other, my hands writing on my bed as I sat, rigid, breath hot in my lungs, horrible clenching sobs welling in my lungs.

It was midnight when I hear it. Determined footsteps, too harsh to be Effie's too light to belong to door slid open, light form the hallway swallowing Katniss's frame, trembling in the doorway. She clutched the door frame, staring, her chest heaving, tear-marks staining the left-over makeup on her cheeks.

I felt myself stand, an angry first clenching hot around my lungs.

"Katniss"

It came out rougher than I'd intended, breakable. She moved then, quicker than I'd known she could, her lips hot on mine, hands clutching my face as if she were drowning and I was a lifeboat. This was nothing like before, there was nothing rehearsed about this kiss, our noses touching, teeth clanking as we learned each others mouths for the first time. My hands fell on her waist, clutching her closer to me as if I were dying as she was life. Her hands tangled in my hair, clutching the back of my neck, frantic. She wanted to drown herself in me, and I was happy to be the sea. My lungs burning, I pulled away. Hurt crossed her face, as if I'd rejected her. Breathing heavily, I ran my hand down the side of her face her skin soft under my fingers.

"Is this what you want" Heat ran down my body as I asked, spiking in my groin, leaving my legs trembling and my heart on fire. She kissed me again running her hands down my body, exploring.

"I need this Peeta" It didn't sound like Katniss, her words were desperate, needy. I wanted to lose myself in the thought of her needing me. However, no thoughts ran through my brain as her hands frantically unbuttoned my pants, her hands shaking as I felt fire course into my abdomen, leaving me dizzy and out of oxygen.

It took the last of the steel in my spine to grab her hand away from me, her dark eyes meeting mine.

"Katniss" It was all I could get out, my lungs losing any hope of air at the dark lust swallowing her eyes.

"Peeta"

She kissed me again, and I felt myself give in, losing myself in her entirely, her hands yanking my clothes off hurriedly, ripping my shirt, buttons hitting the floor with a clank. She stared at me once I was naked, raising an appreciative eyebrow. I felt a furious neon rise in my cheeks, moving down to cup my erection, though it wouldn't fit in my hands. Smiling she ran her hands down my chest, kissing the burning trail her fingers made. I found myself looking at the ceiling as she replaced my hands with hers, kissing her way back up my body as she stroked me, pulling ym chin down with her free hand to plant a quick kiss on my lips.

My hands wrapped around her waist, roaming her body, my blood burning as she caught her lip between her teeth as I slid her nightdress up her thighs, my hands trailing up her body as I slid it over her head staring at her naked form in awe, my body frozen in shock. Toned, her body looked as if it would fit perfectly under mine. My hands wrapping her waist, I kissed her as we walked backwards until the backs of her knees bumped against the edge of the bed. Kissing her neck, I lay her down, my hand cupping her breast, nipple erect against my palm. When she was flat I moved to kiss it, my tongue flicking over it until she made a squeaking noise that made my cock jerk against my stomach. I kissed my way to her other breast, repeating the motion as I slid my hand between her legs, wanting to be sure she was ready for me.

I slid a finger inside of her, her hand fisting in my hair as I did so. Carefull, not to hurt her, I added another finger, hearing her moan my name as I did so. My legs trembled, my body begging for release, ice hot spindles wrapping around my abdomen, I slide back up her body to kiss her as I parted her legs with my knees. Catching her warm eyes with mine, kissed her forehead, her nose and her lips before gently sliding myself into her warm heat, my body clenching at the feeling of being surrounded by her. Her nails gripped by back her eyes burning mine as I began to slow friction against her. She fit perfectly underneath me, as if we'd been made to fit together. Brushing my hair back, she met my lips with hers, her mouth surrendering to mine as I fought to keep control and not hurt her. Moving to kiss her neck, I felt her writhe underneath me, my name falling off her lips like a diamond as she climaxed around me , her muscles clenching around me, sending me into a star lit, gasping paradise. Breathing heavily, I made sure she had finished before rolling off of her, gasping for breath.

Wrapping my arms around her, I kissed her forehead, my fingers tracing patterns on her skin as she fell into sleep one leg wrapped around my waist, her arm ticked over my chest. murmuring in her sleep, I heard "I love you" drop from softly from her lips, melting any part of myself that had been frozen to her before. I knew, that in that moment I was hers, and would do anything to keep her alive. Sobs rose in my chest at the thought of her lying dead, flowers in her hands, like Rue had looked. Sleep overcame me like a fist fight, troubled and sudden, knocking me out with the sweet promise of darkness.

The swishing of the door woke me, Effie standing in the doorway, peacock feathers adorning her hair and bodice, a long blue train trailing to the floor, rhinestones falling from her eyes.

"Have you seen Katni- oh MY!." She quickly stuffed a fist in her mouth, looking like a child on christmas as she her eyes grew wide and she quickly turned around, the door shutting as her heels taped rapidly into the dining car. We must have been quite a sight, naked as clutching at each other like a last breath of life.

Katniss began to mumble, rolling almost entirely onto me, then waking with a start when she felt her naked skin slide onto mine. Fire crawled , low in my stomach as her leg hitched dangerously high. Raised on an elbow, her eyes swam with memories from last night, her hand tracing my lips, cupping my check as she planted a gentle kiss on my lips.

"We need a shower" I raised my eyebrow at the low seduction in her tone. A smile tugging at my still sleepy cheeks.

Sliding out of bed, I heard her gasp.

"What?" Her face was redder than the long scratches in my back, her dark eyes matching the tiny bruises adorning her neck and chest.

She slowly smiled, nodding at my back "Sorry"

A laugh bubbled out of my throat as I pointed at her neck "me too." She glanced in the mirror on the other wall, her eyebrows rising.

"When?"  
I shrugged, suddenly desperate for warm water on my aching skin, the image of cold, blue Katniss once again writhing in my mind.

"Lets shower" my voice came out colder than expected as I sauntered into the bathroom connected to my car, flicking on the hot water. Katniss stepped in later, her hand warm on my shoulder, calming the sobs that had wrenched themselves out of my throat since the bathroom door had swished shut.

"Peeta"

We climbed in the shower, holding each other as the water pounded on us, masking our tears and muffling our sobs as we clung to each other, her face buried in my shoulder, I ran my hands over her wet hair, clinging to her back as cold fear stung in my own.

"I love you, too" I whispered holding her against me for what I feared would be the last time.


End file.
